The Challenge – Why I Believe – Post 2

I have found some very interesting challenges online lately. I am presently trying a new weight loss one. I will let you know how that one works out. I have also challenged myself to try and explain why I believe in God, and specifically Jesus, in the best terms I can. Over the next few months I am going to attempt to make one post a week about either an experience I had, a life lesson, a situation, or a theological reason that has pointed me towards faith. I am going to post these on my blog, facebook, and twitter. I am also challenging others to do the same. Can you formulate and give an answer for why you believe? If you have never done this before I encourage you to try.

There are a few challenges I have found that come with some very serious money attached. Someone is offering, one million dollars if someone could provide proof of a particular miracle. However, it is claimed no one has been able to, so must lead us to conclude that God does not do miracles, or perhaps God is incapable, or even that there is no God in the first place.

If you do a search online you are going to find many individuals who claim that miracles do not happen, all are hoaxes, everyone claiming has been deceived, and no miracles have ever been verified. You will also find just as many stories of people who have written about their miracle stories. Stories ranging from sight being restored, limbs growing, and people brought back from the brink of death.

While there is no one who would know the exact number of miracles that have been claimed to have happened, it would be safe to assume it would be millions to hundreds of millions, including the small and large. It would be quite a lofty statement to say they all of them never happened, everyone was deceived, and any person living today can know for sure all were fake. It is also a lofty statement to believe they were all true and all happened. I do believe some were likely hoaxed, coincidence, etc.

However, my stories and reasons will not revolve around claims made by others. I will not repeat anyone’s stories. I will only tell my own. Things I have seen and lived through myself.

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Several years ago as I was leading a mission team to the Dominican Republic I received a phone call about the health of one of my good friends. In fact, he was supposed to be helping me on this particular trip but his doctor had advised him against it.

The news was not good. Rob had been suffering from head aches, memory loss, and a host of other symptoms. However, he had very aggressive brain tumors. In the next few days his family was told he wouldn’t last more than a week.

But I need to go back further. I had known Rob for years. As a teenager he faced a battle with brain cancer before. He had an inoperable brain tumor. The doctors told him it could not be removed.

Rob is a person of faith. While I consider myself to be, I sometimes find myself on the skeptical side. I know everyone is not healed. The thoughts crossed my mind perhaps you should be preparing for the worst. However, I remember Rob telling me that through prayer, and other’s prayer, He knew, and was told that there was something on the other side of what he was facing. It wasn’t over.

In his first instance when he was told they couldn’t remove the tumor, they operated and it was ninety-nine percent removed. As soon as I returned from the Dominican I went to see Rob. At this point his family and friends were visiting, preparing for the worst, and believing for the best. They had drilled into his skull to drain fluid from his brain because of the growth of the tumors.

There was no treatment that was certain to work. The doctors did do there absolute best, however. Advice was given by some of the best cancer doctors in the world. Things were tried. Prayer happened. And Rob was basically there to die if nothing changed immediately.

Just a few weeks ago Rob and his new wife, Angel came to visit us. They are expecting their first child right now. Rob is still a person of great faith, perhaps even more now. I have learned a lot from him. He still has health issues. He has shared his story of hope with people suffering from terminal illness, high school students, youth groups, and churches. You can see a short video of him at – http://youtu.be/j85X5nVq6Kg

So despite being faced with death by cancer on two occasions. Despite being given only days to live. Despite no real chance of survival. Rob is still with us. Does it make sense? Was it true that He had a peace and some kind of knowledge that he was going to survive? Was it miraculous or fluke? Perhaps, it is not all for me to figure out. I am just happy he is here.

The reason why I believe there is such a strong stance by some that there are absolutely no miracles ever, is because even if one, ‘just one’ took place. If ‘Just One’ prayer was answered, everything changes. I know I have seen that ‘just one’ and can’t deny it. Does this prove everything I believe about God is true? No, but this is just my first post. Stay tuned.

PS – `If you have a story, and are up for this challenge please post it here. As well, on your own facebook, twitter, blog, or whatever you use. Hope to hear from you soon.